Today’s featured guest is Josh Linkner. Josh has spent his career harnessing the power of creative disruption. His journey has been non-traditional at every step. As the founder and CEO of five tech companies, Josh built his businesses from a blank page into a combined value of over $200 million. As a hyper-growth CEO of over 20 years, he’s used innovative approaches to topple competitors, fight through adversity, and achieve at the highest levels.
In addition to his own startups, Josh has been involved with the launch, growth or financing of over 100 other companies. He’e helped raise over $150 million of venture capital and has mentored leaders and entrepreneurs through the struggles of explosive growth. He is the founding partner of Detroit Venture Partners, which invests in tech startups as a platform to help rebuild his beloved hometown of Detroit, Michigan. He’s also the founder and CEO of ePrize where Josh built the largest digital promotion agency in the world, serving 74 of the top 100 brands.
Working with many of the most progressive CMO’s in the world, he’s a pioneer in digital marketing, winning dozens of awards for groundbreaking innovation at the intersection of technology and advertising. Josh is also an internationally recognized thought leader and a top-rated keynote speaker on innovation, creativity, reinvention, and hyper-growth leadership. His keynotes are focused not only on inspiring audiences but also sharing actionable strategies to drive meaningful outcomes. He is also a two-time New York Times best-selling author of three books, he’s a weekly contributor to Inc. Magazine, Forbes, and the Detroit Free Press, and a professional jazz guitarist. He has twice been named the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and is a President Obama Champion of Change Award recipient.